Rip rap structure device



June 4, 1968 P. NELSO'N 3,386,252

RIP RAP STRUCTURE DEVICE v Filed Sept. 8, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Carl P. Nelson ATTORNEY 68 BY MMQW Jun 4, 1968 c. p. NELSON 3,386,252

RIP RAP STRUCTURE DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet f? Filed Sept. 8, 1966 FIG.

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INVENTOR Ca rl P. Nelson ATTORNEY June 4, 1968 v INVENTOR Carl P. Nelson BY QM Q xzQm FIG.I6.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,386,252 RIP RAP STRUCTURE DEVICE Carl P. Nelson, 511 Avenue C, Bismarck, N. Dak. 58501 Filed Sept. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 577,925 Claims. (Cl. 61-37) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to structural material, more particularly, the invention relates to rip rap material for dams and waterways. e

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel concrete block structure which acts as a rip rap or reinforcement of earthen dams and other water guideways.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel block structure for reinforcement of waterways and dams and other structure.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel inexpensive block structure which can be inexpensively made and assembled to act as a rip rap.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the novel concrete block invention forming a rip rap along a darn.

:FIGURE 2 is a side elevatonal view of the dam and concrete block rip rap.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the first type of block of the concrete block invention.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the first type of block.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the second type of block of the concrete block invention.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of the second type of block.

FIGURE 7 is a side cross-sectional view of the shell forms used to form the second type of block, with the rod for the second type of block shown inserted.

FIGURE 8 is a side cross-sectional view of the shell forms used to form the first type of block, with the rod for the first type of block shown inserted.

FIGURE 9 is a top cross-sectional view of the shell forms, used to form the second type of block, taken along line 99 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the one side of the shells of the second type of block, showing the bores for the rod to be inserted, and taken along line 10-10 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the other side of the shells of the second type of block, showing the bores for the rod to be inserted and taken along line 11-11 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the one side of the shells of the first type block, showing the bores for the rod to be inserted and taken along line 12-12 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the other side of the shells of the first type of block, showing 3,386,252 Patented June 4, 1968 the bores for the rod to be inserted, and taken along line 1313 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the hasp for holding the shells together, taken along line 14-14 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged top view of the several blocks interconnected.

FIGURE 16 is an enlarged front elevation view of the several blocks interconnected.

'Briefly stated, the invention comprises a plurality of concrete blocks, with a type of block having a rod passing through the block with loops formed at both ends and with another type of block having a rod passing through the block with a loop at one end and a hook at the other end to hook the two types of blocks together to form a blanket and serve as rip rap for dams.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in FIG- URE l the concrete block invention 20 is illustrated mounted along the front face 21 of a darn 22 to form a blanket or rip rap.

The rip rap is formed by two types of rectangular or polygonal blocks 23 and 24. The block 23 each have a rectangular concrete block portion 23, with a rod 25 extending through the block. At one end of the rod 25 is a loop 26 and at the other end of the rod 25 is a hook 27. The rod extends along a plane slightly inclined from horizontal so that the hook 27 is positioned lower than the loop 26, A lateral rod 28 is fixed in the concrete block portion 25 and projects laterally of the plane of the rod 25 and is used to penetrate into the front face 21 of the dam to secure the blocks 23 to the dam.

The block 24 have a concrete portion 29 with a rod 30 preformed and fixed in the block portion 29. The rod 30 has a loop 31 at one end and a loop 32 at the other end, and the rod 39 is inclined from horizontal slightly. A lateral rod 33 projects laterally from the rod 30 and penetrates into the front face 21 of the earthen dam 22 to attach the block 24 to the dam.

The blocks 23 and 24 are hooked together as illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8. The angle of the rod. 30 is shallow so that the loop 31 of one block 24 overlaps the loop 32 of the adjacent blocks 24, while the rear loop 26 of the one block 23' overlaps the loops 31 and 32 and hook 27 is hooked through loops 31, 32, and 26 to hold the four blocks together. This process is continued to form the blanket shown in FIGURE 1, and partially shown in FIGURE 7.

The completed block 24 is formed by shell form 34 illustrated in FIGURE 7 and 9, which shell form has two half shells 35 and 36. A pair of bore 37 and 37 are located at one corner of the shell form 34, as illustrated in FIGURE 9 and FIGURE 10. Another pair of bores 38 and 38 are located at the opposite corner of the shell forms 34.

The half shells 35 and 36 separate from one another along line 39, except where bores 37 and 37 are located, and except where bores 38 and 38 are located.

The half shell 36 has a raised lip portion 4% between bores 37 and 37', and half shell 35 has a corresponding recess and half shells 35 and 36 separate from one another along line 39', between the bores 37 and 37. The half shell 35 has a depending lip portion 41 between the bores 38 and 38' and the half shell 36 has a corresponding recess. The half shells 35 and 36 separate from one another along line 39", between the bores 38 and 38'.

The bores 37 and 37 receive the rod portions 32' and 32", respectively, of the one end 32 of rod 30; and the bores 38 and 38 receive the rod portions 31' and 31", respectively, of the other end or loop 31 of rod 30.

The half shells 35 and 36 are pivotally connected together by a pair of hinges 42 and 42, so as to swing open.

3 A conventional latch 43 holds the half shells 35 and 36 together.

In order to form the completed block 24, the latch 4-3 is unlatched and the half shells 35 and 36 are swung open about the axi of the pins 42" of the hinges 42 and 42. The rod 30 is positioned in place in the bores 37 and 37 and 33 and 8' and the shells closed and locked. The half Shells 35 and 35 are then inverted from their position illustrated in FIGURE 7 and the concrete is poured in until it reaches approximately the top of shell 36. The half shell 35 has a closed bottom 44 to contain the concrete.

A rectangular cover 45 having tapered sides 46 which correspond to the tapered sides of the half shell 36 is fitted over the shell 36, as shown in FIGURE 7. The rod 33 is introduced into the hole 47 in the sleeve 48 of the cover 45 and is worked into the concrete until it abuts rod 30, as illustrated in FIGURE 6.

The concrete is allowed to harden and then cover 45 is removed, and the half shells 35 and 36 unlatched and pivoted apart about the axis of hinge pins 42" and the concrete block 24 is removed from the half shells.

Similarly, the completed block 23 is formed by a shell form 4% which is similar to shell form 34-, except for the location of the bores. Shell form 49 has two half shells 50 and 51. The half shells 50 and 51 have a pair of bores 52 and 52' at one corner and a bore 53 at the other corner. The half shells 59 and 51 separate from one another along line 54 except in the area where bores 52, 52 and 53 are located. The half shell 50 has a raised lip portion 55 and half shell 51 has a corresponding recess. The half shells 50 and 51 separate from one another along line 56 between the bores 52 and 52 and along diagonal lines 56' immediately adjacent the bores. The half shells t) and 51 separate from one another along lines 56 immediately adjacent bore 53.

The shells 50 and 51 also have a pair of hinges 57 similar to hinges 42 and 42, which allow the shells 50 and 51 to pivot about, and a conventional latch not shown to hold the half shells 5t and 51 together.

The bores 52 and 52' receive the rod portions 26' and 2 6", respectively, of the loop end 26 of the rod 25, and the bore 53 receives the hook end 27 of the rod 25.

To form the concrete block 23, the shells 50 and 51 pivot open and the rod 25 is placed in position. The shells are then closed together and the shells are locked. The shells 50 and 51 are then inverted from their position illustrated in FIGURE 8.

The concrete is poured in until the shells are filled, with the shell 50 having a bottom 58 to contain the concrete, a cover 59 similar to the cover 46 is fitted over the top of shell 51 and the rod 28 is worked into the concrete through the hole 60 in the cover 59 until the rod 28 abuts the rod 25 as illustrated in FIGURE 4.

The concrete is allowed to harden and the cover 59 is removed, and the half shells unlatched and pivoted apart about their hinges and the block 23 is removed.

The blocks 23 and 24 have tapered sides 43, so that the half shells can be removed.

The blocks 23 and 24 when hooked together form a blanket covering along the front of an earthen dam, which will prevent the water from washing away the earth of the dam, and also have an attractive appearance which enhances the overall beauty of the dam. It is possible for esthetic purposes to color the blocks for beauty and appearance and to form diiterent geometric designs.

The blocks 23 and 24 may be hooked together to form bottoms and sides of various types of waterways and act as a reinforcement.

The blocks may be simply and easily made from forms, so that a contractor or the like may make the blocks from the concrete left over after a pouring operation.

Thus, it will be apparent that a novel and attractive rip rap has been provided which may be hooked together to form a blanket of considerable strength to strengthen a dam and provide an attractive appearance to the dam as well. Cement may be filled in between the blocks in the voids 44- between the tapered sides 4-3 of the blocks, after the blocks have been laid as shown in FIG- UR-E 1, to further strengthen the blanket or rip rap.

It will be obvious that various changes and departures may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited to that specifically described in the specification or illustrated in the drawings but only as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rip rap structure comprising a plurality of sets of regular polygonal blocks interconnected together at certain of their corner ends, each of said blocks in one of said sets having a hook at one corner end and an eyelet at the diagonally opposite corner end with each of said blocks in another of said sets of blocks having an eyelet at a pair of diagonally opposite corner ends with said hooks received in said eyelets to hook said blocks together.

2. A rip rap structure according to claim 1, wherein the sides of said blocks are tapered.

3. A rip rap structure according to claim 1, wherein said blocks have rods passing through the central portion of said blocks, with their outer ends forming said eyelets and said hooks.

4. A rip rap structure according to claim 3, wherein said blocks have a second rod which projects perpendicularly from said blocks relative to said first mentioned rod and is adapted to engage the outer surface of a dam to provide a means of attachment of the blocks to the dam.

5. A rip rap structure according to claim 4, wherein said blocks when hooked together form a blanket along the front of the dam and act as a reinforcement for the dam.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 360,225 3/1887 Kanters 61-38 953,051 3/1910 Demuralt 6l37 1,987,150 1/1935 Mason 6137 2,408,585 10/1946 Smith 94-13 X 2,502,757 4/1950 Shearer 61--37 JACOB SHAPIRO, Primary Examiner. 

